forcing crocus

while shopping in New Orleans, I found these crocus being forced for winter blooming. well, i guess i should have started mine last October in order to be at this point today. i did everything in my power to resist buying these, since i wasn’t certain how i would make it back to Michigan with them on the plane.

forcing bulbs is rather easy. it just take some pre-planning. using a shallow container such as these is a key first step. next, plant the bulbs or corms in some potting soil and lightly water them. make sure they are not sitting in any water. place in a 40 degree space in the dark, like a basement or an empty refrigerator.

bring them out when the shoots are about 2 inches tall. place them in a 50 degree location and then over a period of days, move to a sunny window. watch, wait and enjoy the blooms.

usually the process takes about 12 week or slightly more. i liked these containers and the price was rather reasonable. maybe i will start my search for cute containers now, and be ready for next year.